Laceby residents have expressed their anger at finding that they now have to pay to use the car park behind the Nags Head pub.

In the last week signs have been introduced to the car park, just off the High Street, saying that customers will have to pay a minimum of £2 to use the car park, with a camera pointed at the entrance registering licence plates.

The car park is popular among residents and visitors to the village while they make use of local amenities, such as shops, cafes, schools and the church.

However, customers and business owners are angry at the introduction of charges, saying it's a "lose-lose" situation for both residents and the pub.

Residents of the village of Laceby are angry that the car park at the rear of the Nags Head is now to be a pay and display, with ANPR cameras installed by the pub and restaurant.

Parents who use the local school have expressed their disappointment at the new charges, as they would often use the car park when collecting and dropping off their children, as it is safer for them than parking along the narrow main road.

Laceby Parish Council have also voiced their objection to the introduction of the parking charges, saying that when original planning permission was granted in 1980 to knock together the The Nags Head and the Waterloo, a condition was put in place stating that the car park would be open to the community of Laceby "in perpetuity".

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Village resident Katie Serls has said that she would often use the car park when dropping her child off at school, and felt that the introduction of parking charges will only make parking in the village much harder and create problems for people going to church or the local shops.

She said: "I would regularly use the car park when dropping my daughter of at school, as there really isn't anywhere else in the village that you can park.

Residents of the village of Laceby are angry that the car park at the rear of the Nags Head is now to be a pay and display

"The square is usually full, and residents need to park outside their homes, plus most of the roads have double yellow lines on them. It also isn't the safest parking alongside the road when bringing children to school.

"I really think it is unnecessary to introduce these charges. People who want to park to use the shops for ten minutes do not want to pay £2, it is more expensive than Freshney Place."

Owner of cafe The Little Teapot, Ellis Gray and her employee Rebecca Lofthouse both felt that the introduction of parking charges is "morally wrong".

Ellis said: "The pub may own the car park, and they could be allowed to do this, but we just feel that it is morally wrong for the community.

Staff at The Little Teapot are concerned where their customers will park, Rebecca Lofthouse and Ellis Gray, right

"A lot of people rely on that car park, to drop their kids off at school, go to church, and visit local businesses and shops.

"Getting parked around here is already a nightmare, and this is just going to make things even worse.

"We have customers that come to our business from all over the area, and it is not fair on them if they are going to be hit with car parking charges.

"Not to mention it is not going to make people in the village look too favourably on the pub. It just seems like a lose-lose situation for everybody."

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Chair of Laceby Parish Council, Councillor Dave Marshall, said that he has contacted North East Lincolnshire Council about the car park, asking them to take enforcement action, believing that the charges should not have been put in place, and that the correct planning permission was not sought for the installation of the signs and machines.

Parking is in short supply in the village and the parish council says an agreement had been made for the pub car park to remain available to the community 'in perpetuity'

He said: "Laceby Parish Council were on the ball immediately after we found out about the intention to introduce parking fees at the car park, and we are taking measures to see what enforcement action can be taken.

"This has created a big problem in the village.

"When the original planning permission was sought to merge the two pubs, a condition was included stating that the car park would be open to the people of Laceby in perpetuity, which means for good.

"I would like to see the people of Laceby rally together against these parking charges and show the weight of feeling against them."

Residents of the village of Laceby are angry that the car park at the rear of the Nags Head is now to be a pay and display, with ANPR cameras installed by the pub and restaurant

The car park charges, which are now in effect, are £2 per stay of up to two hours and £5 for a day.

A North East Lincolnshire Council spokesperson said: “We have received a complaint in relation to the car park and our planning team is investigating. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

The owner of the Nags Head and Waterloo Pub has not commented on the issue.